Hiding Under The Sheets

Blog Tour | Giveaway | Frisk Me by Lauren Layne

2015-07-27T02:17:00.000+08:00

FRISK ME

New York's Finest #1

Lauren Layne

Releasing July 28th,2015

Forever Romance

After a photograph of Luc Moretti saving a tourist hits social media, he instantly becomes New York's most famous and beloved cop. When a major network decides to run a special on the "American Hero," Luc's boss gives him no choice but to cooperate in the name of good exposure for the department. Luc doesn't mind the celebrity status-what he does mind is the gorgeous brunette journalist who's been assigned to follow his every move. Especially since she also happens to be the same knockout that rejected him rather publicly the week before.

Ava Sims is a woman who gets what she wants. And what she wants is to be CBC's lead anchor-but to get there, she'll need to nail the fluff piece on the playboy cop. Luc Moretti is everything Ava knows to stay away from: a stubborn charmer with a hero-complex. But the more Ava gets to know Luc and his oddball family, the more she realizes that beneath the swagger and the blue uniform is a complex man who makes her heart beat too fast. Soon, Ava's doing the unthinkable, and falling for the best of New York's finest ...

Review

To be honest, I was skeptical when I read the blurb of the book. It wasn't exactly what I'd go for but this author has been in my radar for months already because of the praises for her previous books. So I took the risk and asked for an ARC.

I don't regret it at all.

Or maybe I did regret one thing: Why did it take me this long to read a book by Lauren Layne?

There was never a dull moment in this book thanks to the banter and sexual chemistry of both main characters.

Luca and Ana were explosive right from the moment they met. It was as if two headstrong personalities clashed. I loved each smart-ass remark and inside joke that they threw at each other.

With Ava, I admit that I didn't like her at first. I never thought that journalism can be this heartless. She later on grew on me as I got to understand her character and get to know the Ava behind the high heels and pantsuits.

Luc was okay. I'm not saying that he's an awful character or anything but I kinda paid more attention to his brothers and got too busy fantasizing about their stories. Hihi.

Did I say I love characters' wits? I really loved how close and hilarious Luc's family was, especially his interfering Nonna.

All in all, I loved this book and I'd absolutely love to read the next books in the series, knowing that Luc's brooding older brother is up next!

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Lauren Layne is the USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance.

Prior to becoming an author, Lauren worked in e-commerce and web-marketing. In 2011, she and her husband moved from Seattle to New York City, where Lauren decided to pursue a full-time writing career. It took six months to get her first book deal (despite ardent assurances to her husband that it would only take three). Since then, Lauren's gone on to publish ten books, including the bestselling Stiletto series, with several more on the way in 2015.

Lauren currently lives in Chicago with her husband and spoiled Pomeranian. When not writing, you'll find her at happy hour, running at a doggedly slow pace, or trying to straighten her naturally curly hair.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

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Release Day Blitz | Ruin & Rule by Pepper Winters

2015-07-07T23:00:00.000+08:00

Blurb

"We met in a nightmare. The in-between world where time had no power over reason. We fell in love. We fell hard. But then we woke up. And it was over . . ."

RUIN & RULE

She is a woman divided. Her past, present, and future are as twisted as the lies she's lived for the past eight years. Desperate to get the truth, she must turn to the one man who may also be her greatest enemy . . .

He is the president of Pure Corruption MC. A heartless biker and retribution-deliverer. He accepts no rules, obeys no one, and lives only to reap revenge on those who wronged him. And now he has stolen her, body and soul.

Can a woman plagued by mystery fall in love with the man who refuses to face the truth? And can a man drenched in darkness forgo his quest for vengeance-and finally find redemption?

"Ruin & Rule is a full-length book at 436 pages and ends on a cliffhanger. Cleo and Kill's story continues in SIN & SUFFER."

Meet Killian in Pepper Winters’ new MC Romance!

NOW AVAILABLE

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1LQMIzb
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1f574HK
iBooks: http://apple.co/1RdQhDd
Nook:http://bit.ly/1G1y53T
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1G1y53T
Google Play:http://bit.ly/1LQNjRE

Prologue

We met in a nightmare.

The in-between world where time had no power over rhyme, reason, or connection. We met. We stared. We knew.

There was no distortion from the outside world. No right or wrong. No confusion or battles from hearts and minds.

Just us. In our silent dreamworld.

That nightmare became our home. Planting ghosts, raising fantasies. Entwined together in our happily skewed reality.

We fell in love. We fell hard.

In those fleeting seconds of our nightmare, we lived an eternity.

But then we woke up.

And it was over.

Chapter One

I always believed life would grant rewards to those most worthy. I was fucking naïve. Life doesn’t reward—it ruins. It ruins those most deserving and takes everything. It takes everything all while watching any remaining goodness rot to hate.

—Kill

[ORN_SB]

Darkness.

That was my world now. Literally and physically.

The back of my skull hurt from being knocked unconscious. My wrists and shoulders ached from

lying on my back with my hands tied behind me.

Nothing was broken—at least it didn’t feel that way—but everything was bruised. The fuzziness receded wisp by wisp, parting the clouds of sleep, trying to shed light on what’d happened. But there was no light. My eyes blinked at the endless darkness from the mask tied around my head. Anxiety twisted my stomach at having such a fundamental gift taken away.

I didn’t move, but mentally catalogued my body from the tips of my toes to the last strand of hair on my head. My jaw and tongue ached from the foul rag stuffed in my mouth and my nose permitted a shallow stream of oxygen to enter—just enough to keep me alive.

Fear tried to claw its way through my mind, but I shoved it away. I deliberately suppressed panic in order to assess my predicament rather than lose myself to terror.

Fear never helps, only hinders.

My senses came back, creeping tentatively, as if afraid whoever had stolen me would notice their return.

Sound: the squeak of brakes, the creak of a vehicle settling from motion to stopping.

Touch: the skin on my right forearm stung, throbbing with a mixture of soreness and sharpness. A burn perhaps?

Smell: dank rotting vegetables and the astringent, pungent scent of fear—but it wasn’t mine. It was theirs.

It wasn’t just me being kidnapped.

My heart flurried, drinking in their terror. It made my breath quicken and legs itch to run. Forcing myself to ignore the outside world, I focused inward. Clutching my inner strength where calmness was a need rather than a luxury.

I refused to lose myself in a fog of tears. Desperation was a curse and I wouldn’t succumb, because I had every intention of being prepared for what might happen next.

I hated the sniffles and stifled sobs of others around me. Their bleak sadness tugged at my heartstrings, making me fight with my own preservation, replacing it with concern for theirs.

Get through this, then worry about them.

I didn’t think this was a simple opportunistic snatch. Whoever had stolen me planned it. The hunch grew stronger as I searched inside for any liquor remnants or the smell of cigarettes.

Had I been at a party? Nightclub?

Nothing.

I hadn’t been stupid or reckless. I think…

No hint or clue as to where I’d been or what I’d been doing when they’d come for me.

I wriggled, trying to move away from the stench. My bound wrists protested, stinging as the rope around them gnawed into my flesh like twine-beasts. My ribs bellowed, along with my head. There was no give in my restraints. I stopped trying to move, preserving my energy.

I tried to swallow.

No saliva.

I tried to speak.

No voice.

I tried to remember what happened.

I tried to remember…

Panic.

Nothing.

I can’t remember.

“Get up, bitch,” a man said. Something jabbed me in the ribs. “Won’t tell you again. Get.”

I froze as my mind hurtled me from present to past.

I’ll miss you so much,” she wailed, hugging me tighter.

“I’m not dying, you know.” I tried to untangle myself, looking over my shoulder at the final call flashing for my flight. I hated being late for anything. Let alone my one chance at escaping and finding out the truth once and for all.

“Call me the moment you get there.”

“Promise.” I drew a cross over my heart—

The memory shattered as my horizontal body suddenly went vertical in one swoop.

Who was that girl? Why did I have no memory of it ever happening?

“I said get up, bitch.” The man breathed hard in my ear, sending a waft of reeking breath over me. The blindfold stole my sight, but it left my nose woefully unprotected.

Unfortunately.

My captor shoved me forward. The ground was steady beneath my feet. The sickness plaiting with my confusion faded, leaving me cold.

My legs stumbled in the direction he wanted me to go. I hated shuffling in the darkness, not knowing where I came from or where I was being herded. There were no sounds of comfort or smothered snickers. This wasn’t a masquerade.

This was real.

This is real.

My heart thudded harder, fear slipping through my defenses. But full-blown terror remained elusive. Slippery like a silver fish, darting on the outskirts of my mind. It was there but fleeting, keeping me clear-headed and strong.

I was grateful for that. Grateful that I maintained what dignity I had left—remaining strong even in the face of the unknown terrors lurking on the other side of my blindfold.

Moans and whimpers of other women grew in decibels as men ordered them to follow the same path I walked. Either death row or salvation, I had no choice but to inch my way forward, leaving my forgotten past behind.

I willed snippets to come back. I begged the puzzlement of my past to slot into place, so I could make sense of this horrible world I’d awoken in.

But my mind was locked to me. A fortress withholding everything I wished to know.

The pushing stopped. So did I.

Big mistake.

“Move.” A cuff to the back of my head sent me wheeling forward. I didn’t stop again. My bare feet traversed…wood?

Bare feet?

Where are my shoes?

The missing knowledge twisted my stomach.

Where did I come from?

How did I end up here?

What’s my name?

It wasn’t the terror of the unknown future that stole my false calmness. It was the fear of losing my very self. They’d stolen everything. My triumphs, my trespasses, my accomplishments and failures.

How could I deal with this new world if I didn’t know what skills I had to stay alive? How could I hope to defeat my enemy when my mind revolted and locked me out?

Who am I?

To have who I was deleted…It was unthinkable.

“Faster, bitch.” Something cold wedged against my spine, pushing me onward. With my hands behind my back, I shuffled faster, negotiating the ground as best I could for dips or trips.

“Step down.” The man grabbed my bound wrists, giving me something to lean against as my toes navigated the small steps before me.

“Again.”

I obeyed.

“Last one.”

I managed the small staircase without falling flat on my face.

My face.

What do I look like?

A loud scraping noise sounded before me. I shied back, bumping against a feminine form. The woman behind me cried out—the first verbal sound of another.

“Move.” The pressure on my lower back came again, and I obeyed. Inching forward until the stuffy air of old vegetables and must was replaced by…copper and metallic…blood?

Why…why is that so familiar?

I gasped as my mind free-fell into another memory.

“I don’t think I can do this.” I darted away, throwing up in the rubbish bin in the classroom. The unique stench of blood curdled my stomach.

“Don’t overthink it. It’s not what you’re doing to the animal to make it bleed. It’s what you’re doing to make it live.” My professor shook his head, waiting for me to swill out my mouth and return white-faced and queasy to the operation in progress.

My heart splintered like a broken piece of glass, reflecting the compassion and responsibility I felt for such an innocent creature. This little puppy that’d been dumped in a plastic bag to die after being shot with BB gun pellets. He’d survive only if I mastered the skills to stem his internal bleeding and embrace the vocation I was called to do.

Inhaling the scent of blood, I let it invade my nostrils, scald my throat, and impregnate my soul. I drank its coppery essence. I drenched myself in the smell of the creature’s life force until it no longer affected me.

Picking up a scalpel, I said, “I’m ready—”

“Holy fuck!” The man guiding me forward suddenly whacked the base of my spine. The hard pain shoved me forward and I tripped.

“Wire—get me fucking reinforcements. He’s started a motherfucking war!”

Wind and body motion swarmed me as men charged from behind. The darkness I lived in suddenly came alive with sound.

Bullets flew, impaling themselves into the metal sides of the vehicle I’d just stepped from. Pings and ricochets echoed in my ear. Curses bellowed; moans of pain threaded like a breeze.

Someone grabbed my arm, swinging me to the side. “Get down!” The inertia of his throw knocked me off balance. With my wrists bound together, I had nothing to grab with, no way to protect myself from falling.

I fell.

My stomach swooped as tumbled off a small platform and smashed against the ground.

Dirt, damp grass, and moldy leaves replaced the stench of blood, cutting through the cloying sharpness of spilled metallic. My mouth opened, gasping in pain. Blades of grass tickled my lips as my cheek stuck to wet mud.

My shoulder screamed with agony, but I ignored the new injury. My mind clung to the unlocked memory. The fleeting recollection of my profession.

I’m a vet.

The sense of homecoming and security that one little snippet brought was priceless. My soul snarled for more, suddenly ravenous for missing information.

I skipped straight from fumbling uncertainty into starvation for more.

Tell me! Show me. Who am I?

I searched inside for more clues. But it was like trying to grab on to an elusive dream, fading faster and faster the harder I chased.

I couldn’t remember anything about medicine or how to heal. All I knew was I’d been trained to embrace the scent of blood. I wasn’t afraid of it. I didn’t faint or suffer sickness at the sight of it pouring from an open wound.

That tiniest knowledge was enough to settle my prickling nerves and focus on the outside world again.

Battle cries. Men screaming. Men growling. The dense thuds of fists on flesh and the horrible deflection of gunshots.

I couldn’t understand. Had I fallen through time and entered an alternate dimension?

Another body landed on top of mine.

I cried out, winded from a sharp poke of an elbow to my ribs.

The figure rolled away, crying softly. Feminine.

Why aren’t I crying?

I once again searched for fear. It wasn’t natural not to be afraid. I’d woken up alone, stolen, and thrown into the middle of a war, yet I wasn’t hyperventilating or panicked.

My calmness was like a drug, oozing over me, muting the sharp starkness of my situation. It was bearable if I embraced courage and the knowledge that I was strong.

My hands balled, grateful for the thought. I didn’t know who I was, but it didn’t matter, because the person who I was in this moment mattered the most.

I had to remain segmented, so I could get through whatever was about to happen. All I had was gut instinct, quiet strength, and rationality. Everything else had been taken.

“Stop fighting, you fucking idiots!”

The loud growl rumbled like an earthquake, hushing the battle in one fell swoop. Whoever had spoken had power.

Immense power. Colossal power.

A shiver darted over my skin.

“What the fuck happened? Have you lost your goddamn lovin’ mind?” a man yelled.

A sound of a short scuffle, then the fresh whiff of tilled dirt graced my nose.

“It’s done. Throw down your weapons and bend a fucking knee.” The same earthquake rumbled. The weight of his command pushed me harder against the damp ground.

“I’m not bending nothing, you asshole. You aren’t my Prez!”

“I am. Have been for the past four years.”

“You’re not. You’re his bitch. Don’t think his power is yours.”

Another fight—muffled fists and kicks. It ended swiftly with a painful groan.

The earthquake voice came again. “Open your eyes and follow the red fucking river. Your chosen—the one you hand-picked to slaughter me and take over the Club—he’s dead. Did you ever stop to think Wallstreet made me Prez for a fucking reason?”

Another moan.

“I’m the chosen one. I’m the one who knows the family secrets, absorbed the legacy, and earned his way into power. You don’t know shit. Nobody does. So bend a fucking knee and respect.”

Another tremor ran down my back.

Silence for a time, apart from the squelch of boots and heavy breathing. Then a barely muttered curse. “You’ll die. One way or another, we won’t put up with a Dagger as a Prez. We’re the Corrupts, goddammit. Having a traitor rule us is a fucking joke.”

“I’m the traitor? The man who obeys your leader? Who guides in his stead? I’m the traitor when you try and rally my brothers in a war?” A heavy thud of a fist connected with flesh. “No…I’m not. You are.”

My mind raced, sucking up noises and forming wild conclusions of what happened before me. Was this World War Three? Was this the apocalypse of the life I couldn’t remember? No matter how I pieced it together, I couldn’t make sense of anything.

The air was thick with anticipation. I didn’t know how many men stood before me. I didn’t know how many corpses littered the ground, or how such violence could be permitted in the world I used to know. But I did know the cease-fire was fragile and any moment it would explode.

A single threat slithered through the grass like a snake. “I’ll kill you, motherfucker. Mark my words. The true Corrupts are just waiting to take you out.”

The gentle foot-thuds of someone large vibrated through the ground. “The Corrupts haven’t existed for four fucking years. The moment I took the seat, it’s been Pure Corruption all the way. And you’re not fucking pure enough for this Club. You’re done.”

I flinched as the sulfuric boom of a gun ripped through the stagnant air.

A crash as a body fell lifeless to the grass. A soft puff of a soul escaping.

Murder.

Murder was committed right before me.

The inherent need to nurture and heal—the part of me that was as steadfast as the beat of my heart—wept with regret.

Death was something I’d fought against on a daily basis, but now I was weaponless.

I hated that a life had been stolen right before me. That I hadn’t been able to stop it.

I’m a witness.

And yet, I’d witnessed nothing.

I’d been privy to a battle but seen nothing. Knew no one. I would never be able to tell who shot whom, or who was right and who was wrong.

My hands shook, even though I managed to stay eerily calm. Am I in shock? And if I was, how did I cure myself?

The woman beside me curled into a ball, her knees digging into my side. My first reaction was to repel away from the touch. I didn’t know who was friend or foe. But a second reaction came quickly; the urge to share my calmness—to let her know that no matter what happened, she wasn’t alone. We faced the same future—no matter how grim.

Voices cascaded over us, whispers mainly, quickly spoken orders. Every sound was heightened. Being robbed of sight made my body seek other ways in which to find clues.

“Get rid of the bodies before daybreak.”

“We’ll go back and make sure we’re still covered.”

“Send out the word. It’s over. The Prez won—no anarchy today.”

Each voice was distinct but my ears twitched only for one: the earthquake rumble that set my skin quivering like quicksand.

He hadn’t spoken since he’d condemned someone to death and pulled the trigger. Every second of not hearing him made my heart trip faster. I wasn’t afraid. I should be. I should be immobile with fear. But he invoked something in me—something primal. Just like I knew I was female and a vet, I knew his voice meant something. Every inch of me tensed, waiting for him to speak. It was wrong to crave the voice of a killer, but it was the only thing I wanted.

Needed.

I need to know who he is.

Wet mud sucked loudly against boots as they came closer.

The woman whimpered, but I angled my chin toward the sound, wishing my eyes were uncovered.

I wanted to see. I wanted to witness the carnage before me. Because it was carnage. The stench of death confirmed it. It was morbid to want to see such destruction, but without my sight all of this seemed like a terrible nightmare. Nothing was grounded—completely nonsensical and far too strange.

I needed proof that this was real.

I needed concrete evidence that I wasn’t mad. That my body was intact, even if my mind was not.

I sucked in a breath as warm fingers touched my cheek, angling my face upward and out of the mud. Strong hands caressed the back of my skull, fumbling with my blindfold.

The anticipation of finally getting my wish to see made me stay still and cooperative in his hold.

I didn’t say a word or move. I just waited. And breathed. And listened.

The man’s breath was heavy and low, interspersed with a quick catch of pain. His fingers were swift and sure, but unable to hide the small fumble of agony.

He’s hurt.

The pressure of the blindfold suddenly released, trading opaque darkness for a new kind of gloom.

Night sky. Moonshine. Stars above.

Anchors of a world I knew, but no recognition of the dark-shrouded industrial estate where blood gleamed silver-black and corpses dotted the field.

I’m alive.

I can see.

The joy at having my eyes freed came and went as blazing as a comet.

Then my life ended as our gazes connected.

Green to green.

I have green eyes.

Down and down I spiraled, deeper and deeper into his clutches.

My life—past, present, and future—lost all purpose the second I stared into his soul.

The fear I’d been missing slammed into my heart.

I quivered. I quaked.

Something howled deep inside with age-old knowledge.

Every part of me arched toward him, then shied away in terror.

Him.

A nightmare come to life.

A nightmare I wanted to live.

If life was a tapestry, already threaded and steadfast, then he was the scissors that cut me free. He tore me out, stole me away, changed the whole prophecy of who I was meant to be.

Jaw-length dark hair, tangled and sweaty, framed a square jaw, straight nose, and full lips. His five-o’clock stubble held remnants of war, streaked with dirt and blood. But it was his eyes that shot a quivering arrow into my heart, spreading his emerald anger.

He froze, his body curving toward mine. Blistering hope flickered across his features. His mouth fell open and love so achingly deep glowed in his gaze. “What—” A leg gave out, making him kneel beside me. His hands shook as he cupped my face, his fingers digging painfully into my cheekbones. “It’s not—”

My heart raced. Yes.

“You know me,” I breathed.

The moment my voice webbed around us, storm clouds rolled over the sunshine in his face, blackening the hope and replacing it with pure hatred.

He changed from watching me like I was his angel to glowering as if I were a despicable devil.

I shivered at the change—at the iciness and hardness. He breathed hard, his chest rising and falling. His lips parted, a rumbling command falling from his mouth to my ears. “Stand up. You’re mine now.”

When I didn’t move, his hand landed on my side. His touch was blocked by clothing but I felt it everywhere. He stroked my soul, tickled my heart, and caressed every cell with fingers that despised me.

I couldn’t suck in a proper breath.

With a vicious push, he rolled me over, and with a sharp blade sliced my bindings. With effortless power, so thrilling and terrifying, he hauled me to my feet.

I didn’t sway. I didn’t cry. Only pulled the disgusting gag from my mouth and stared in silence.

I stared up, up, up into his bright green eyes, understanding something I shouldn’t understand.

This was him.

My nightmare.

About The Author:

Pepper Winters wears many roles. Some of them include writer, reader, sometimes wife. She loves dark, taboo stories that twist with your head. The more tortured the hero, the better, and she constantly thinks up ways to break and fix her characters. Oh, and sex... her books have sex.

She loves to travel and has an amazing, fabulous hubby who puts up with her love affair with her book boyfriends.

Her Dark Erotica books include:
Tears of Tess (Monsters in the Dark #1)
Quintessentially Q (Monsters in the Dark #2)
Her Grey Romance books include:
Destroyed

STALK Pepper: Website | Pinterest | Facebook | Twitter | Blog | Goodreads

Feature and Follow Friday | June 19, 2015

2015-06-19T16:42:00.000+08:00

Question of the Week:

If you were to get a tattoo, what would it say or what would the graphic be? Or if you have a tattoo, share a picture and its meaning.

- Suggested by Second Run Reviews

Actually, I've been thinking about having a tattoo for quite sometime already but I don't like handling the pain and the after-care of it. And my dad would probably turn in his grave if I would have one on my body.

But if I were to have one, it will be a replica of Warner's (from Shatter Me) Ignite Me tattoo on his hip. I really liked that (but then again I almost like everything about him) and the idea of having a tattoo on a rarely shown area was nice. Only the people really close to you would know that you have a tattoo.

If you'd like to follow me via Google Friend Connect, here's the link. Though, I'd prefer it if you follow me via RSS feeds because that's how I follow everyone too and I use Feedly and I have a notification thingy on my browser (which makes it easier to read several blogs). But it's up to you, really. :)

Please leave me a comment if you decided to follow me so I could follow you back.

See you next week!

Release Day Blitz | Giveaway | Scorched by Jennifer L. Armentrout

2015-06-17T02:47:00.001+08:00

Blurb

Sometimes life leaves a mark…

Most days, Andrea doesn’t know whether she wants to kiss Tanner or punch him in the gut. He is seriously hot, with legit bedroom eyes and that firefighter body of his, but he’s a major player, and they can’t get along for more than a handful of minutes. Until now.

Tanner knows he and Andrea have had an epic love/hate relationship for as long as he can remember, but he wants more love than hate from her. He wants her. Now. Tomorrow. But the more he gets to know her, the more it becomes obvious that Andrea has a problem. She’s teetering on the edge and every time he tries to catch her, she slips through his fingers.

Andrea’s life is spiraling out of control, and it doesn’t matter that Tanner wants to save her, because when everything falls apart and she’s speeding toward rock bottom, only she can save herself.

Sometimes life makes you work for that happily ever after…

Praise for SCORCHED:

“Armentrout’s latest new adult offering tackles substance abuse and mental illness — and, thankfully, the love of a good man is not going to be what heals this heroine.” – RT Book Reviews

Amazon Paperback ** Amazon Kindle ** Barnes and Noble **iBooks

We are absolutely thrilled to bring you the Release Week Blitz for Jennifer L. Armentrout's SCORCHED!! SCORCHED is a standalone New Adult Contemporary Romance and is a part of Jennifer L. Armentrout’s Frigid Series. And be sure to grab FRIGID, the first standalone in this amazing series!!

Excerpt

Tanner

Aw, shit.

I watched Andrea walk into the living room, the normal twitch of her hips absent. No one swayed ass like Andrea, and seeing it gone from her step was answer enough. Our normal whatever-the-fuck-it-was between us had gone further than I intended. No doubt what I’d said had cut her, but shit, it was no different than any other day.

My hand tightened on the neck of the bottle. For the life of me, I had no idea what the hell Andrea Walters’s problem was. Honestly. No fucking clue. One minute, sweet and sugary words parted those pouty pink lips of hers. Next second, she was a fire-breathing dragon from hell—a hot, fire-breathing dragon, but still. Her moods flipped more quickly than cups did during a game of flip cup.

Maybe it was because she was a redhead?

I smirked.

She’d always been this way with me, and the most fucked-up think about it, there was a part of me that actually looked forward to whatever was going to come out of her mouth. Twisted as fuck. It was like a game between us, to see who could hit the hardest without lifting a finger. If nothing else, it was damn entertaining—or at least, it had been until now. Now, I wasn’t too sure about it.

Those pretty doe eyes of hers had looked suspiciously damp right before she’d looked away, and yeah…that didn’t sit right with me.

Kyler shot me a look as he walked past me and grabbed a beer out of the fridge, but I watched Andrea sit on the edge of the couch, her posture unnaturally rigid.

Sydney leaned against the arm. “We’re thinking about leaving early in the morning, around six.”

My gaze flicked to Andrea, expecting her to make some kind of crack about not getting up that early, but she was abnormally quiet. My spine stiffened.

“That should put us at the cabin between nine and ten in the morning, depending on traffic.” Kyler stood beside me as he screwed off the cap. “Then we’ll be heading back the following Monday.”

“Sounds good to me.” I didn’t take my eyes off Andrea as she fiddled with a strap on her sandals, slipping them onto her feet.

Sydney glanced at me, smiling softly. “You’re definitely off from the fire department?”

I nodded. Kyler had mentioned weeks ago about wanting to hit up the cabin before everyone headed back to class, and I’d requested the time off then. Which had meant I’d pulled a lot of doubles, but I hadn’t minded it. Wasn’t too different from the twelve-hour shifts we worked in the first place, and I’d only be there until February of next year, and then I was off to the academy. Not that I was in any hurry to leave the fire department, but being a cop was in my blood. Except I wanted to be a good cop. I’d probably still volunteer at the fire hall once I knew what kind of schedule I was looking at on the force.

“It makes sense if we drive up together.” Sydney toyed with a strand of her hair. “Kyler and I can pick you two up.”

Andrea had twisted toward Sydney and started to protest the whole idea of taking one car. I zoned out, staring at her as the bottle of beer dangled from the tips of my fingers.

Damn…she was a cute girl. Nah, she was more than cute, and it wasn’t like this was the first time I’d noticed that. From the first time I’d seen her at the bar with Sydney, she’d done more than just poke my interest. Hell, anyone with eyes knew she was a very pretty girl. Lush lips. Freckled cheeks and thick, dark eyelashes. Come to think of it, she reminded me of a girl I’d had a crush on in middle school. Hell, couldn’t remember that chick’s name, but she’d had freckles and red hair. I think I used to pull on her braids or some annoying shit like that. My lips tipped up in a small grin as I lifted the bottle to my mouth. Andrea was a motherfucking firecracker, though, not the kind of girl who was easily tamed.

Hell, not the kind of girl you even wanted to tame.

And don’t miss the first standalone book in the series…

FRIGID

Amazon ** Barnes and Noble ** iBooks

About Jennifer L. Armentrout

# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV. She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

Website ** Facebook ** Twitter ** Novel Goodreads ** Author Goodreads

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What Makes You Pick Up A Book?

2015-06-16T19:30:00.000+08:00

If this question was asked to me a few years ago before I discovered Goodreads, I'd probably say, “I'll go to my favorite local bookstore, ask the employee what the bestsellers are and buy what will strike my interest. Or I'll ask some of my friends for recommendations.”

Now? It's different. I can't ask my friends anymore since my tastes have become a little unconventional and my standards are different now. Or that my preferences in genres no longer match theirs. I've also learned that not all books on a bookseller's list is a guaranteed good read. So what makes me pick up a book now?

The Cover and Title

An eye-catching cover and an intriguing title are still the first two things that can make me pick up a book from its shelf. Unless if it's written by a favorite author, chances are I'll ignore a book with an uninteresting cover and an obvious title.

The Blurb

Once I'm done appreciating the front part of the book, I will immediately flip it back and look for its summary. If it manages to pique my interest, then off the basket it goes for final consideration. In my observation, I'm most likely to pick up a book that has a blurb on the back or on its flaps (if hardcover) than a book that has nothing but praises from different authors and reviewing bodies. I usually view the latter as a trap.

The Reviews

Yes. My phone is open when I look for books. I still check the books that I'm going to buy on Goodreads and read a few reviews before finally deciding to buy the book. I've learned this lesson the hard way in the past. Sometimes, a book doesn't meet the promise its blurb has. There are times when the blurb sounded too good compared to the actual story. It doesn’t matter if my favorite author raved about it; I still want the honest opinions of some readers that I know have the same tastes as I.

After the books have passed through these filters, then off the counter we go. I know it sounds like a really long process but it's worth it since most of the books that I come home with are “unputdownable.”

How about you? What makes you pick up a book?

Top Ten Books On My 2015 Back-To-School TBR List

2015-06-16T11:31:00.000+08:00

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. Each week they will post a new Top Ten list that one of their bloggers. Everyone is welcome to join.

It's June. And while it's the start of summer in most countries, it's the start of the rainy season and classes in mine. (Classes start tomorrow, by the way.) Getting busy again with school-related stuff would mean less time for bookish stuff. I'm not that worried though because my class schedule isn't that hectic. (laughs mirthlessly) Yeah right. So instead of a summer TBR list, I'll give you my back-to-school TBR list. (cries)

The DUFF by Kody Keplinger

This book has been sitting on my digital shelf for months ever since I got it from Netgalley. My best friend said that the movie was funny and she later on read the book (I hadn't asked her about her opinion about it yet though). However, my friends from Goodreads who read the book said that the movie wasn't that good. So I wanna know what the buzz is all about and I will read the book first, then movie later.

The Selection by Kiera Cass

My best friend loves this series and I want to join her when fangirling or whatsoever since it'll probably happen more now that school is back. The covers in this series are gorgeous too!

Asking For It by Lilah Pace

I love dark romances but rarely encounter a guaranteed good one. Asking For It was all over my Goodreads feed back in May and all of my friends were raving for it. Even those who didn't read the genre at all. I was told that the writing was superb. I wanted to know what the hype was all about.

Shards of Hope by Nalini Singh

It's the 14th book of a series that I adore but I can't get to read it yet because there's only hardcover available in my country right now. The local bookstore said that the mass market paperback will be available on December. I'll probably just buy an e-book, right?

A Court of Thorns and Roses & Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

This author's books have been making a buzz in my Goodreads feed for months already. I wanna jump into the bandwagon and know why.

V is for Virgin by Kelly Oram

I don't really go for underrated books but I really like the premise and the cover of this book. So good luck to me.

Of course, I didn't reach ten. The rest of the list will probably be filled with the ARCs that I have and going to have (hopefully). I'm still confused on how I'll carve the time to read these books. Hahahahuhuhuhu.

Release Day Blitz | The Offer by Karina Halle

2015-06-14T23:00:00.000+08:00

She thinks he's an arrogant playboy.

He thinks she's an uptight prude.

But he's about to make her an offer she can't refuse.

Nicola Price used to have it all – a great career, the perfect boyfriend, an excessive shoe collection and an apartment in one of San Francisco’s best neighborhoods. But when she gets knocked up and her asshat boyfriend leaves her high and dry, Nicola’s perfectly crafted world comes tumbling down. And stays that way.

Now, Nicola is the proud single mom to a five-year old daughter and living a giant lie. She can barely afford their ghetto apartment and all the men she dates run when they hear she comes with a child. She’s struggling and scared – and nowhere near where she thought she’d be at age thirty-one.

Her saving grace comes in the form of a tall, handsome and wealthy Scotsman Bram McGregor, the older brother of her friend Linden. Bram understands a thing or two about pride, so when tragic circumstances place Nicola at rock bottom, he offers them a place to live in the apartment complex he owns. It’s pretty much the perfect deal, so as long as she doesn’t mind living beside Bram, a man that, despite his generosity, seems to antagonize her at every turn.

But nothing in life is free and as Nicola gets her feet back on the ground, she discovers that the enigmatic playboy may end up costing her more than she thought.

She might just lose her heart.

Those McGregor brothers are nothing but trouble...

EXCERPT

When reality starts to fade in a bit, I find myself being walked to the door of my apartment building, my arms draped over both Kayla and Steph. We go up the stairs and now I’m standing in front of my door, wobbling back and forth, trying my hardest to look as sober as possible.

Steph goes to knock on the door but it’s already open. I guess we are being loud, giggling, in the hallway.

Bram looks at the three of us and my God is he a sight for sore eyes.

“We brought her home,” Steph says, motioning with her hand for Bram to get out of the way, “your shift is over.”

“No,” I tell them as they shuffle me inside. “He can stay.”

I know the three of them are exchanging a look over my head.

“I’ll make sure she goes to bed,” Bram explains. “No funny business, I swear.”

“Pinky swear?” Steph says and I turn to see her holding out her pinky to him. “You know I don’t break those.”

Ugh, Steph and her damn pinky swears. She wouldn’t even be married to Linden if it weren’t for one.

But Bram does a pinky swear with her.

“No funny business,” Steph warns him.

“Good thing I’m not funny!” I yell as I flop down on the couch. The room is beginning to spin.

“Nic, that was, like, five minutes ago,” Steph says. She reaches over the couch and pats my head. “Do you want us to undress you because Bram’s not allowed.”

“No one undresses me but me!” I yell, throwing my fist up into the air.

“Have fun with her,” Steph says to Bram. “And remember, she’s untouchable. Don’t make me make your brother punch you in the junk or something.”

Bram makes a scoffing noise. “Last time he tried to do that, I got him back good. You just ask him what happened on January 16th, 2005 and why he’ll never eat pudding again.”

“I mean it,” Steph threatens and I hear her and Kayla leave and the door closing.

I close my eyes too. Drift away for a moment. The spinning has stopped and there’s a beautifully cool breeze wafting over my skin.

“I’m not supposed to touch you,” Bram’s gruff voice says and when I open my eyes, he’s crouched in front of me, a lock of dark hair over his forehead. His face is shadowy in the dark, the only light now being from my bedroom behind him.

“That’s okay,” I mumble into the couch. “You can touch me. I say it’s fine.”

“How about I bring you something to sleep in? Do you have a favorite nightshirt? I always see you in that top that your nipples try and poke right through.”

“No, not the nipple shirt.”

He goes to get up. With a lazy hand, I grip his shirt. “Don’t leave. I’m fine here.”

“I can’t imagine you being comfortable.”

“I’m drunk. Everything is comfortable. Except I wish I had a cheeseburger. I would eat it and use it as a pillow. Or maybe use it as a pillow and then eat it.”

“I see.”

I raise my brow at him. “You just want to go through my underwear.”

“Oh, I’ve already gone through your underwear.”

“Lies.”

“I wore them on my head and danced around your apartment.”

“Did you really?” I ask, totally serious.

“Come on,” he says grabbing my forearms. “If you want to sleep in your clothes, that’s fine. But I’m bringing you to your own bed and taking off your shoes.”

“Can you brush my teeth too? I need clean teeth.” I let him pull me to my feet and I pitch to the left, heading right for the coffee table. But I’m in his arms, his capable arms, and he’s holding me to him.

“You have capable arms.”

“You have an exquisite arse,” he responds and half leads me, half drags me out of the living area and into the bedroom.

“I like the way you say arse,” I say with a giggle, exaggerating his accent. “I like the way you say everything.”

“I’m glad, because I foresee a lot of arse talk in the future.”

“Yeah, yeah.” I try and swat him away. “All talk and no arse pinching.”

With her USA Today Bestselling The Artists Trilogy published by Grand Central Publishing, numerous foreign publication deals, and self-publishing success with her Experiment in Terror series, Vancouver-born Karina Halle is a true example of the term "Hybrid Author." Though her books showcase her love of all things dark, sexy and edgy, she's a closet romantic at heart and strives to give her characters a HEA...whenever possible.

Karina holds a screenwriting degree from Vancouver Film School and a Bachelor of Journalism from TRU. Her travel writing, music reviews/interviews and photography have appeared in publications such as Consequence of Sound, Mxdwn and GoNomad Travel Guides. She currently lives on an island on the coast of British Columbia where she’s preparing for the zombie apocalypse with her fiancé and rescue pup.

LINKS: FACEBOOK TWITTER GOODREADS AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

Feature And Follow Friday | June 12, 2015

2015-06-12T11:17:00.002+08:00

Question of the Week:

If you can step into one characters shoes (in a book) and be them for a day who would it be and why? Also if you want to be creative what scene?

- Suggested by Seeing Night Book Reviews

This is easy. If that were to happen, I'd like to step into Sascha Duncan's shoes. She's the heroine of the first book in Nalini Singh's Psy Changeling Series, Slave to Sensation.

In Singh's universe, the world is divided into three races: human, changeling and Psy. I'm pretty sure the first two are self-explanatory and Psys are basically like humans except they have unique minds. They could be telepaths, telekinetics, foreseers, etc. But despite their wonderful minds, Psys also have the largest case of insanity among the three races. More than a century ago, they decided to eradicate their emotions, thinking that if you didn't feel anything then you wouldn't have any motive to kill someone. Now, Psys are known not to feel, the only time they remember being touched is when they were children or when they have medical check ups.

See, Sascha is Psy and add to that, she's an empath. In a race where emotion is purged, a mind-healer who naturally has to embrace emotion like Sascha has been told that she is broken by her trainers.

I'd like to know what it is like for me to hug someone for the first time. How the flavors of normal food feels for the first time in my tongue. (Psy only eat bland nutritional bars with calculated calories.) I want to personally know how it feels to know that all this time I am not what people told me to be. I want to feel how to be emotionally and psychically linked to someone.

But if asked what particular scene do I want to experience as her character in just one day, then it would be that time when she gave birth to her daughter. Before the labor, Sascha already maintained a psychic connection with her child. She knew that her child was scared and angry when she was having contractions. She was also the one who coaxed her baby to finally come out to the world. I think that would be the coolest thing in the world.

Please leave me a comment if you decided to follow me so I could follow you back.

See you next week!

Review | Black Rainbow by J.J. McAvoy

2015-06-12T05:52:00.000+08:00

A sweet and steamy New Adult Romance from Amazon bestselling author of the Ruthless People series, J.J. McAvoy…

After an erotic one-week fling with a musician she meets in a bar, Thea Cunning never expects to see Levi Black again. Then Monday morning comes around, and she discovers that her former lover is not only her professor, but he’s also one of the top criminal lawyers in the state of Massachusetts.

With everyone in class vying to be one of the twelve disciples—a group of twelve students that Professor Black takes under his wing—tensions run high. Thea considers dropping his class, given their passionate week together and their undeniable chemistry. After all, there are other (less infuriatingly sexy) law professors on campus.

But to accomplish her goal and get her father out of prison, Thea knows she needs to learn under the best of the best—and that’s Levi Black.

But can she learn under the best, without being under the best?

See J.J. McAvoy's Black Rainbow in:

Goodreads | Amazon | Nook | Kobo | iBooks

This isn't my first J.J. McAvoy book and the first book I read from this author didn't make very nice impressions on me too. I still ended up requesting an ARC of this because heck, who wouldn't with that blurb? It was practically crooking its finger in a come-hither way, luring me to read it. A hero who was a musician, a lawyer and a professor?? I thought I freaking hit the mother lode! What could go wrong?

Apparently a lot of things.

Before I proceed, I'll let you know that there might be a ~~few~~ a lot spoilers that might slip that I wouldn't be able to tag at all. Life's too short to tag spoilers. Loljk. I'm gonna try tagging as much as I could. I made this review immediately after I woke up so I'm not gonna hold back.

The characters. I had a hard time sympathizing with them.

Levi Black. This guy was so mushy around Thea from the very moment he met her. He had a badass reputation in the law industry with the names El Diablo and The Cleaner. But around Thea? Oh heck no. He got cheesy like this:

What was this? Why did I want to kiss her again so badly? I didn’t even know her last name, and yet it was like every part of me was crying out for her.

Now, don't get me wrong. I love it when a guy gets like that for a heroine, showing a side that he doesn't show to the world save her, but there are proper timings for it and the morning after the night you just met her sure as fuck isn't one of them.

His professor alter-ego felt so…off. Like it was forced. You know that moment when a teacher suddenly tries his best to impress when he realizes that there were other people other than his students observing his class? Yeah, it felt like that to me.

Oh, oh, and if you're a little sensitive when it comes to infidelity like me, then you'll find yourself disliking this guy. You see, there was this time when Levi was at a party, his mom introduced him to a girl and this girl was trying to get involved with Levi but he refused because he said that he was seeing someone but it was complicated (Thea). A few moments later, he called Thea and asked if she wanted in in their relationship, she said she couldn't and Levi hung up, went back to that girl his mother introduced to him and made a move on her which ended up with them spending the night together.

Thea Cunning. She reminded me so much of Melody from J.J. McAvoy's Ruthless People that I started to worry if perhaps she'd end up shooting Levi or something. She got shot instead. I didn't hate her, but I also wasn't able to connect with her because of her contradictory actions. She kept on saying that she couldn't have a relationship with Levi but ended up kissing him or having sex with him anyway. I admired her determination though. She just dropped off everything to free her dad.

Dual POVs.

For quite some time already, I've noticed this sudden influx of novels that uses dual or multiple POVs. There are a lot of pros but so are the cons. While it is good that the reader can know what's going on in both MC's minds, the author also has to be able to create to separate entities inside the book. It's not enough for me that you write things while in a character's perspective without creating his own train of thought. It's not enough that you use the same writing style, apply a few differences, then slap their name on top then declare that it's his/her POV.

Thea and Levi almost had no differences at all. I wouldn't be able to differentiate their thoughts unless I see the pronouns and the name on top. They both did this italicized sentence thingy at the end of a chapter. That is a nice touch for dramatic effect, but if both characters are doing it? That's another story.

Things were thrown, left hanging and a lot were happening at once.

There were some things that were in Black Rainbow that could've affected the plot but weren't elaborated or mentioned again.

Like that part when Levi ranted to Thea about how his ex-wife and his ex-business partner liked to make his life hell because they somehow made the authorities audit him every year, making his ex-wife sound like she was still involved in his life by making things hard for him. But after that, the ex-wife wasn't mentioned anymore until in last quarter and it was for a whole different reason. I expected Levi to have some more issues (not a lot) when it came to being in a relationship but all I got was that one jealousy scene from him.

There was also this time when Thea suddenly turned into this cold and calculating person, suddenly so determined to become number one. I knew what the catalyst for that change was but I didn't exactly understand why she had to do it. Also, this cold Thea just sort of faded out as time passed. I didn't even realize it until I re-read some parts.

The flashbacks of their one-week fling, cases solved in the sidelines, Levi and Thea having a relationship in secret, Thea trying so hard to free her father, their classes. These things simultaneously occurring made the book seem so long and confusing at times because I didn't know where book was headed to.

You can get away with anything as long as you say it in media. Because what is court hearing.

I don't know much about the laws in Connecticut much more in United States but in this book, for some reason, you can get away with anything as long as you tell the truth in a press conference. This happened with that teenager who was accused with double manslaughter and Thea's dad.

The last time I checked, these guys were prominent lawyers so I was expecting some court hearing action not about lawyers solely relying on trial by media.

(I wanted to point out one last thing, considering the usage of the media in this book but decided against it. It has something to do with the fraternization policy. Yeah, I'm letting it slip this time.)

I liked a few things though. Their one-week fling was cute although Levi felt out of character and screamed insta-love to me. It's great to read a heroine who's African-American too. So I give this book a half-star for that! (Since two stars is usually the lowest rating I give.)

Like I said above, the book had great potential but there were plot holes that I minded. I liked McAvoy's take on a situation (student/teacher relationship) that's very cliché nowadays but Black Rainbow would've been refreshing for me if it didn't feel like the author was trying to cram a lot of things in this book and focused more on character development.

Teaser Tuesdays | June 9, 2015

2015-06-09T17:30:00.000+08:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

MY TEASER: @ 32%

“You really think that? That you’re ‘just a girl’? You, the one person engineered for me—the woman I fell in love with and then lost?”

— The Decaying Empire by Laura Thalassa

I still don't know what to feel about this book. The romance is over the top and it overshadows the action the book has. And it is disappointing since this is the first YA book (if you could still call it that with all the sex happening) that I've read in a long time.

Reasons Why Audiobooks and I Don't Get Along

2015-06-09T01:21:00.000+08:00

Recently, I came across Girl of 1000 Wonders's post about the SYNC. It is a program that gives away two complete audiobook downloads — a current Young Adult title paired thematically with a Classic or Required Summer Reading title — each week to listeners ages 13+ while SYNC is in session each summer.

This piqued my interest. See, I never listened to audiobooks but I decided to give it a shot since I was in a reading slump and it was also free!

I downloaded two audiobooks: Melissa dela Cruz's The Ring and the Crown and Bram Stoker's Dracula. The latter I was looking forward to because my paperback of it has been sitting for ages in my shelf but couldn't get to reading it because I didn't like epistolary novels.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to finish both audiobooks and here were some of the reasons why:

Ain't nobody got time for that.

I balked at the length of the audiobook. The duration of Dracula was approximately seventeen hours while The Ring and The Crown was almost ten and a half hours. I could finish two books within seventeen hours. Since I wanted to read as much books as I could before classes would start, listening to these were impractical.

My attention span is limited.

Most people who listened to audiobooks said that they were convenient because you could do things while listening to them. I never related to that. When I was playing an audiobook, I had to pay attention solely on the narrator. I tried doing something else, like cleaning, but I ended up sitting on a chair and concentrated hard on what was being said. Sometimes, I had to rewind sometimes because I couldn't catch what the narrator was saying because of his/her accent.

I wanted to talk to the narrator.

I only lasted in the first eighteen minutes of both audiobooks. I didn't relish of just listening to someone talking for minutes without interrupting him/her at all. When someone talks in my presence, I listen then engage them in a conversation because I'm that kind of person.

Speaking of narrator, his/her voice should be pleasant to my ears.

Now this is very important since I'm very picky when it comes to a person's voice. If I'm going to listen to a person talk for more than an hour, his/her voice better be pleasant to my ears. But not so pleasant that it would make me fall asleep.

Japan set the standards way too high.

I know I shouldn't compare audiobooks to Japanese drama CDs since they're almost two different things but I can't help it. They were the reason why I had high expectations on audiobooks.

In a nutshell, a Japanese drama CD is like a movie but without the visual and follows even the most intricate details in the novel/manga it is based on. So basically, it's all sound but with the complete package: sound effects, different voices and, yes, even sex noises. You'll hear moans and grunts (from both voice actors even if they're both guys), the thrusting, the squeaking. EVERYTHING. If the drama CD is based on a novel and is narrated in third person POV, a different voice actor will portray that role.

So color me surprised when I first heard an audiobook and there was only one person who narrated throughout the whole thing. It felt monotonous, you know, lifeless unlike the drama CDs that I was used to listening. Sure, I wasn't expecting the production for audiobooks to be as superb as drama CDs since they're called audiobooks for a reason. I only wanted for it to have some flavor, you know. Some...life.

Based on my experience, I think listening to audiobooks depends on a person's preference. Some of us could learn or concentrate more when a material is relayed to us aurally, some of could not.Unfortunately, I've always been a visual learner so an audiobook is a no-no to me.

How about you? Do you listen to audiobooks? What is it that you like most about them?

Feature and Follow Friday | June 5, 2015

2015-06-05T11:47:00.000+08:00

Question of the Week:

How would you pitch to the biz to make your favorite book into a movie?

- Suggested by Girl of 1000 Wonders

I WON'T! As much as I'd like to see my favorite books in the big screen, they tend to change things up and sometimes the movie ends up different from the book. If I was asked to pitch, I'd deliberately stutter in front of them and subtly discourage them from making it into a movie. It's selfish, I know, but I don't want them to create something different from my favorite book.

Unless, the author is actively a part in the film-making process and they assured the author then nothing would change then maybe I'd do my best to let them know how great the book is and state my reasons why they have to make it a movie.

Please leave me a comment if you decided to follow me so I could follow you back.

See you next week!

Release Day Blitz | Giveaway | Sweet Ache by K. Bromberg

2015-06-02T16:16:00.001+08:00

About Sweet Ache

Meet Hawke & Quinlan in SWEET ACHE - the newest Rock Star stand-alone in the Driven Series by K. Bromberg!

The New York Times bestselling author of Slow Burn turns up the heat when a sexy bet turns into so much more…

Hawkin Play, the bad boy rock star with a good guy heart, has lived a lifetime of cleaning up after his twin brother’s mistakes. Hunter’s most recent screw-up could land Hawke in jail and risk the band’s future. Hawke agrees to guest lecture at a local college to stay in the judge’s good graces—and a bet with his bandmate to seduce his sexy teaching assistant is icing on the cake.

Quinlan Westin is harder to bed than Hawke imagined. She knows his type and is determined to avoid the rocker at all costs—even if their attraction runs deeper than simple lust.

Just as Hawke might finally be winning over the girl, his brother has other plans. When Hunter realizes his twin finally has a weakness, he’ll stop at nothing to take advantage…

Purchase Sweet Ache by K. Bromberg in:

EXCERPT #1

Quinlan

“Now you guys need to get going so you have time for Quin to give you the complete rundown,” Professor Stevens says.

Of course she has no idea the double entendre she’s just given Hawkin about me giving him a complete rundown, but I know Hawke catches it. I manage to resist the urge to stomp my feet in frustration and storm out of her office like a toddler. Instead I give her a tight smile before turning and walking out of the office and then the department.

I stand there in the sunshine, waiting for him to get his ass in gear and quit wasting my time. When I finally hear the door open I just start walking and the sound of his boots is the only inclination that he’s following.

“I’ve got longer legs than you Trixie,” he chides from a few feet back. “But feel free to keep swinging your hips like that, and I’ll stay right here behind you and enjoy the show.”

I bristle at the comment. At the moment there’s no authority to be respectful of, no damage that can’t be undone.

“A show?” The pitch of my voice escalates as I whirl around to face him—sunglasses on, hair disheveled, and I wish I hadn’t turned around because damn, he’s just that devastatingly fine. I’m quiet for a beat as we both appraise each other from behind darkened lenses. His dark hair, tanned skin, and cocky smirk pulls at those parts of me I don’t want to be pulled. “You want to talk about a show.” I grit the words out, trying to push my physical attraction to him from my mind. “Let’s talk about your little performance for Dr. Stevens.”

“I know. I’m good, huh? Sorry but a man’s got to do what he’s got to do . . . Besides, I wasn’t done with you yet.”

My mouth falls lax and I’m momentarily flabbergasted. “Done with me yet?” I sputter the words when I’ve recovered my wits at his arrogance run amuck . . . But I can’t deny the little flutter in my belly at his comment. There’s just something about him aside from the whole I’m a rock-star thing, that makes me desire him in a way I can’t put into words.

“Yep.” He says casually as he unwraps a Starburst and pops it into his mouth. And I hate that I’m fascinated with watching his mouth suck on the sweet candy. Luckily he speaks so I can distract myself from the captivating sight. “I’m pretty sure you have a usefulness . . . I’m just trying to figure out what that is.” He licks his lips. “Well, besides the obvious, that is . . .” Smirk is handily in place and I hate that ache starting to simmer in my core.

“Why don’t you go suck a—”

“Relax,” he says, angling his head to the side and emitting a laugh as he steps closer to me. “I’m just teasing you. You’re so damn easy to rile up and so hard to resist. Plus you’re even hotter when you’re pissed. I like it.” He shrugs an apology, hands shoved deep in the pockets of his jeans with a sheepish grin that softens all those hard edges and makes me sigh with the contrast of characteristics. He holds a red Starburst out to me as a peace offering. “C’mon, you know you want to be the star to my burst.”

We’ve stopped, my hands are on my hips, and the sun is falls around us as hewaits for me to react to his innocent little comment. Deep down I know I’m screwed. I feel an urge to smile but immediately realign my defenses. The contradiction he presents, the smooth with the rough, is the one thing that I always fall for when it comes to men.

And I’m not going to fall for Hawkin Play.

About the Author

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author K. Bromberg is that reserved woman sitting in the corner who has you all fooled about the wild child inside of her—the one she lets out every time her fingertips touch the computer keyboard.

K. lives in Southern California with her husband and three children. When she needs a break from the daily chaos of her life, you can most likely find her on the treadmill or with Kindle in hand, devouring the pages of a good, saucy book.

On a whim, K. Bromberg decided to try her hand at this writing thing. Her debut novels, Driven, Fueled, and Crashed of The Driven Trilogy were well received and went on to become multi-platform bestsellers as well as landing on the New York Times and USA Today lists. Her other works include a short story, UnRaveled, and a companion piece to The Driven Trilogy titled Raced. She is currently working on three stand alone Driven novels, Slow Burn, Sweet Ache, and Hard Beat. She also plans to release a novel addressing the 10 year gap at the ending of Crashed in late fall 2015

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest | Amazon

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Feature and Follow Friday | May 29, 2015

2015-05-29T10:38:00.000+08:00

Question of the Week:

How many books have you got on your TBR list?

- Suggested by Obsessive Compulsive Reader

The normal “to-read” shelf where I store the books that I'm interested in reading or are recommended by my friends currently has 63 books. It once shot up to 200 but I trimmed it down and selected the books that really piqued my interest.

I have another shelf named “my-body-is-more-than-ready-for-this” which has 12 books now. These are the books that I'm very eager to read but forced to wait because they're not yet released. By the time any of these books are finally published and I get hold of my copies, I usually drop anything that I read in favor of these.

If you'd like the check out my shelves, here's my Goodreads profile.

Hi, This is my first time participating FFF. If you'd like to follow me via Google Friend Connect, here's the link. Though, I'd prefer it if you follow me via RSS feeds because that's how I follow everyone too and I use Feedly and I have a notification thingy on my browser (which makes it easier to read several blogs). But it's up to you, really. :)

Please leave me a comment if you decided to follow me so I could follow you back.

See you next week!

Review | Marked by Kaylea Cross

2015-05-28T22:53:00.001+08:00

When danger lurks behind a familiar face…

Successful architect Rachel Granger loves her job and her life, but when a terrorist on the FBI’s most wanted list targets her, there’s only one man she can trust. She hasn’t seen Jake in years but her former college friend told her he’d always be there for her and she definitely needs him now. Even though her feelings for him go far deeper than friendship and just being around him risks her heart, she would do anything to keep those she loves safe from a madman bent on unleashing hell.

Only one man from her past can help

FBI Special Agent Jake Evers made the biggest mistake of his life when he let Rachel slip through his fingers over two years ago. It doesn’t matter that he hasn’t seen her since then—if she needs him, he’ll be there. When he learns that she’s the target of a domestic terror cell, he’ll do everything in his power to keep her safe. He’s never gotten over her and won’t risk losing her again now that she’s reappeared in his life. But the threat is more widespread than they realized and now it’s a race against time to keep her and scores of innocent civilians alive.

See Marked (Hostage Rescue Team #1) in:

Goodreads || Amazon

You know, I hate it when romance overshadows logic in books. And I can't tolerate plot holes.

First of all, you do not just let somebody who could help you apprehend terrorist check in a hotel and leave only one agent to guard her. Those guys are called terrorists for a reason so your witness should be safe at all times and having her in a hotel definitely is not safe. You don't have to be an agent or whatsoever to know that. It's common sense.

And how can you not know what the terrorists want with an architects designs/floor plans? They're pretty dangerous to somebody who has a history of bombing shit. If you have a floor plan, you'll know which foundations to bomb to make more damage instead or randomly planting an explosive anywhere and make an escape easily.

The two MCs felt so bland. Like they were two dimensional or something. I couldn't feel the spark between them at all.

I liked the concept of the story, but the lack of chemistry between the hero and heroine, the plot holes... It was just too much for me.

Lessons I've learned after reading this?

1. Respect your sister's belongings and privacy or else you might end up being kidnapped by a terrorist and lose a finger.

2. If your friend is spouting anti-government stuff, then you should be alarmed. Don't brush it off and take it as a joke else you might end up being kidnapped by a terrorist and lose a finger.

That's What He Said Thursday | May 28, 2015

2015-05-28T19:51:00.000+08:00

That's What He Said Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Chapter Break where you post a your favorite swoon-worthy line your favorite hero said to his heroine.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

“I didn't use you to purge my grief. You've been the first real light in my life in years. The moment I saw you, I knew I wanted you. The painting was just an excuse to have you.”

— The Art of Sinning by Sabrina Jeffries

So I jumped to the ending of the book, just like what I always do when the pace of a story seems slow for me. And well, let's just say that it does not live up to my expectations which is sad because The Art of Sinning is going to be the first book of a new series. I just wanted the series to start with a bang.

Release Day Blitz | Giveaway | Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry

2015-05-26T14:55:00.000+08:00

About NOWHERE BUT HERE:

An unforgettable new series from acclaimed author Katie McGarry about taking risks, opening your heart and ending up in a place you never imagined possible.

Seventeen-year-old Emily likes her life the way it is: doting parents, good friends, good school in a safe neighborhood. Sure, she's curious about her biological father—the one who chose life in a motorcycle club, the Reign of Terror, over being a parent—but that doesn't mean she wants to be a part of his world. But when a reluctant visit turns to an extended summer vacation among relatives she never knew she had, one thing becomes clear: nothing is what it seems. Not the club, not her secret-keeping father and not Oz, a guy with suck-me-in blue eyes who can help her understand them both.

Oz wants one thing: to join the Reign of Terror. They're the good guys. They protect people. They're…family. And while Emily—the gorgeous and sheltered daughter of the club's most respected member—is in town, he's gonna prove it to her. So when her father asks him to keep her safe from a rival club with a score to settle, Oz knows it's his shot at his dream. What he doesn't count on is that Emily just might turn that dream upside down.

No one wants them to be together. But sometimes the right person is the one you least expect, and the road you fear the most is the one that leads you home.

Purchase Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry in:

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Add it to your Goodreads Now!

We are absolutely thrilled to bring you the Release Day Launch for Katie McGarry's NOWHERE BUT HERE! NOWHERE BUT HERE is a Young Adult Contemporary Romance and is a part of Katie McGarry’sThunder Road Series, published by Harlequin Teen. Grab your copy today!!

Excerpt:

From Oz's Point of View. Set up: Emily has been separated from her parents and after a long night of worrying, her emotions and exhaustion catch up to her and it causes Oz to have his first fluttering of emotion for Emily.

WIND BLOWS IN FROM THE NORTH AND A FEW pieces of Emily’s dark hair sweep across her face. One minute Emily’s a bright flame, then a gust snuffs out her light. Her body sways like a top at the tail end of a spin and I lunge forward.

Emily’s knees give out and her eyes roll back into her head. I catch her inches before she crashes onto the porch. She’s light as I swing her into my arms and her head circles onto my shoulder, reminding me of one of those rag dolls Violet used to play with when we were kids.

“Emily!” Eli’s on top of me, attempting to yank her out of my arms. “Open your eyes.”

Her eyelids flutter, but remain closed as her hand limply clutches my shirt. Eli rams his arms underneath mine and he makes Emily a rope in a tug-of-war. I should let her go. I should want to let her go, but then Emily goes and screws it up for me. “Oz.”

It was a damn whisper, but I heard my name on her lips and so did Eli. His eyes flash to mine and Cyrus’s words repeat in my mind. That girl trusts you. And screw us both for that.

“She’s exhausted,” I say. “Hasn’t slept at all tonight.”

Eli’s expression hardens as he glares at me. I’ve seen Eli throw a coma-inducing punch for less defiance and I readjust the sleeping girl in my arms. A reminder if he decks me now, he’ll be putting his daughter at risk.

Temporarily surrendering, Eli cups Emily’s face in his hands and angles her toward him. “Emily, please open your eyes.”

She does. It’s barely a crack and they’re completely glazed.

“Everything’s going to be okay,” Eli affirms.

“I want my mom and dad,” she mumbles.

“You’ll see them tomorrow.” Eli pushes a strand of hair from her cheek. “You’re safe here. I promise.”

She rejects Eli by curling into me. Her head fits perfectly in the crook of my neck and I loathe the wave of protectiveness that rumbles through my body. Emily’s fingers tighten their grip near my shoulders and the impulse is to shield her from the guys gawking at this intimate scene. Yeah, this is club business, but Emily never asked for any of this.

NOWHERE BUT HERE Trailer:

About Katie McGarry:

Katie McGarry was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan. Katie is the author of full length YA novels, PUSHING THE LIMITS, DARE YOU TO, CRASH INTO YOU, TAKE ME ON, BREAKING THE RULES, and NOWHERE BUT HERE and the e-novellas, CROSSING THE LINE and RED AT NIGHT. Her debut YA novel, PUSHING THE LIMITS was a 2012 Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction, a RT Magazine's 2012 Reviewer's Choice Awards Nominee for Young Adult Contemporary Novel, a double Rita Finalist, and a 2013 YALSA Top Ten Teen Pick. DARE YOU TO was also a Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction and won RT Magazine’s Reviewer’s Choice Best Book Award for Young Adult Contemporary fiction in 2013.
Website ** Twitter ** Facebook ** Goodreads ** Pinterest ** Tumblr ** Instagram

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Release Day Blitz | Giveaway | 21 Stolen Kisses by Lauren Blakely

2015-05-26T14:15:00.000+08:00

ABOUT 21 STOLEN KISSES:

When I first met him I resisted.

Like any forbidden love, I told myself he was a crush, and it would pass.

That was a lie. It never faded.

And I never expected he would fall for me just as hard.

There were so many reasons that should have kept us apart, least of all, the decade that separated us.

Growing up in New York City, I learned early on that love is a double-edged sword.

Love broke up my parents, love took away my friends, and love -- the big, intense, never-been-like-this-beforelove -- landed me in therapy.

Now I'm heading to college, and it's time to give love a clean slate again. But, can I really start over when he's still in my life?

Because the one man I've always wanted, is also the only guy I absolutely can't have…

And he wants me just as fiercely.

Can I settle for anything less than the love of my life?

Purchase 21 Stolen Kisses in:

Amazon || Amazon UK || iBooks || Kobo || Barnes and Noble || GooglePlay

Read my review

We are absolutely thrilled to bring you the Release Week Blitz for Lauren Blakely's 21 STOLEN KISSES!! 21 STOLEN KISSES by Lauren Blakely is a standalone New Adult Forbidden Romance from the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author being published by Bloomsbury Spark! Lauren Blakely is well known for writing sexy, heartfelt and humorous contemporary romance as well as deeply emotional new adult stories. 21 STOLEN KISSES is a beautifully written forbidden romance that will have you holding your breath and turning the pages as fast as you can!

Excerpt

He inhales sharply. The look in his eyes says we’re crossing into the danger zone again. It’s the only place I want to be with him. Because when we’re there, nothing between us feels dangerous. Everything feels right.

“I turn eighteen in a few more weeks,” I say, like my birthday is an open invitation for us to slam back into each other.

He nods. “I know.”

A breeze blow by and rustles his hair. A lock falls out of place. Instinct takes over. I raise my hand to reach for his hair.

But he’s faster. He grasps my wrist, and the second he does, the moment expands. It stretches and unfolds into the thing I will replay tonight and tomorrow and the next day. I stare at his hand clasped around my wrist, flashing back to all the times he held my hand, touched my wrist, and ran his fingers along my arm. I shiver as the memories collide, the past slamming into the present.

I look up from our hands to his eyes. Blazing, full of heat. Full of all that restraint from him that I know so well.

ABOUT LAUREN BLAKELY

Lauren Blakely writes sexy contemporary romance novels with heat, heart, and humor, and she has had seven books on the New York Times Bestseller list and eleven on the USA Today Bestseller list. Like the heroine in her novel, FAR TOO TEMPTING, she thinks life should be filled with family, laughter, and the kind of love that love songs promise. Lauren lives in California with her husband, children, and dogs. She loves hearing from readers! Her bestselling series include Caught Up in Love, Seductive Nights, No Regrets and Fighting Fire. She recently released Forbidden Nights, a standalone novel in her New York Times Bestselling Seductive Nights series that became an instant New York Times Bestseller. This summer she'll release Consumed by You, her next title in her NYT Bestselling Fighting Fire series about sexy firemen and the women they love, and Sweet Sinful Nights, the first book in her new series Sinful Nights. She also writes for young adults under the name Daisy Whitney. To receive an email when Lauren releases a new book, text BLAKELY + your email address to 678-249-3375 (please use the actual + sign).
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | 21 STOLEN KISSES Goodreads | Lauren Blakely Goodreads

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Teaser Tuesdays | May 26, 2015

2015-05-26T12:30:00.000+08:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

MY TEASER:

Xang focused on his knife, the blade so clear and bright he could see his own reflection in the steel. His father’s eyes stared back at him, demanding vengeance . Retribution. Starting with this.

“I’m going to let her know exactly what I think of that,” he said to his prisoner before bending down and reaching for Brandon’s bound hands.

— Marked by Kaylea Cross

You know, Brandon wouldn't be facing this dilemma if only he respected his sister's privacy. I mean, who lets other people touch their sibling's laptop? Especially when you know that she uses that laptop for work-related stuff. It might seem like a small matter at first, but look where it got him now. Poor Brandon is going to learn his lesson the hard way.

Review | 21 Stolen Kisses by Lauren Blakely

2015-05-25T19:30:00.000+08:00

I think I do. I do want to be found. Because I don't want the way I feel for you to be a secret.

When I first met him I resisted.

Like any forbidden love, I told myself he was a crush, and it would pass.

That was a lie. It never faded.

And I never expected he would fall for me just as hard.

There were so many reasons that should have kept us apart, least of all, the decade that separated us. Growing up in New York City, I learned early on that love is a double-edged sword. Love broke up my parents, love took away my friends, and love — the big, intense, never-been-like-this-before love — landed me in therapy. Now I’m heading to college, and it’s time to give love a clean slate again. But, can I really start over when he’s still in my life Because the one man I’ve always wanted, is also the only guy I absolutely can’t have…And he wants me just as fiercely.

Can I settle for anything less than the love of my life?

Purchase 21 Stolen Kisses by Lauren Blakely in:

Add to: Goodreads

Character-driven stories would always require you to have a strong connection with the characters in the story. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to develop that while reading 21 Stolen Kisses. Aside from having difficulty understanding the heroine and relating with the situation, there were also aspects that overshadowed the story like the flashbacks.

These flashbacks would confuse me sometimes. It felt redundant because there were certain parts in the story told in a way that you were the other character and these parts were labeled as “Our Stolen Kisses” which were narrated in second person POV. These were the moments when Kennedy and Noah were having their first affair. Or the first kisses they had in particular. Normally, the story was told in first person POV, with Noah and Kennedy alternating in chapters. There were times where they would suddenly reminisce the first time they met or how their relationship gradually developed without some sort of warning then back to the present. Instances like these made it hard for me to concentrate on comprehending the characters since I was always abruptly pulled from one timeline to another.

I couldn't also understand why it was a big deal for a seventeen year old to date someone older than her. I got that it was a big deal in America. If it was in my country, eyebrows would be raised but nobody would break the couple up as long as they were happy. Heck, a twenty-three year old actor here publicly declared his romantic intentions with a seventeen-year old actress and all of their fans were happy it. Here, Noah got fired, people scorned him even if he wasn't harming Kennedy in any way.

With Kennedy, I didn't like her. There was nothing remarkable about her aside from her love for theater. I disliked her because she allowed her mom to use her for lying even if she didn’t like it. When I was in a similar situation, I remember fighting my mom but it was worth it, I had to let her know that I didn't approve what she was doing. I wanted Kennedy to stand up and fight. I got that she loved her mom so she couldn't hate her but she was her enabler too.

I had to give to the writing though. I liked it and it was the only thing that helped me finish reading this book. While it was engaging for me, their attitudes made it hard for me to connect with them.

Overall, 21 Stolen Kisses was an okay read.

Review | End of Days by Susan Ee

2015-05-24T19:30:00.000+08:00

“…Trying to make someone stay with you when he doesn't want to is a recipe for heartbreak.”

End of Days is the explosive conclusion to Susan Ee’s bestselling Penryn & the End of Days trilogy.

After a daring escape from the angels, Penryn and Raffe are on the run. They’re both desperate to find a doctor who can reverse the twisted changes inflicted by the angels on Raffe and Penryn’s sister. As they set off in search of answers, a startling revelation about Raffe’s past unleashes dark forces that threaten them all.

When the angels release an apocalyptic nightmare onto humans, both sides are set on a path toward war. As unlikely alliances form and strategies shift, who will emerge victorious? Forced to pick sides in the fight for control of the earthly realm, Raffe and Penryn must choose: Their own kind, or each other?

See End of Days (Penryn and the End of Days #3) in:

Goodreads || Amazon

One thing that I appreciated most in the previous books of Penryn and the End of Days was the lack of romance. I liked how rational the characters were, how Penryn berated herself for thinking about romantic stuff with Raffe when she had a sister to rescue. Even when I wanted Penryn and Raffe to have more lovey-dovey moments, I never dared to ask for more because I didn't want this story to become one of those dystopian books where satisfying your libido was prioritized instead of saving the human race and the world.

Then came the third book and for some mysterious reason, the characters had so much skinship, to the point where it became exaggerated and ridiculous which angered me. I mean, really? Kissing while flying in the depths of hell aka The Pit while you have other angels to save? Some people might think that was romantic but I thought it was too cheesy and I never ever associated the word “cheesy” and this series.

They suddenly acted like boyfriend and girlfriend that caught me off-guard. Did I miss a novella that concentrated on the development of their romantic relationship or was I really just dense?

Perhaps it was a way to compensate how scant Raffe and Penryn's romantic interactions were in the first two books. It wasn't well executed though. Sometimes, it overshadowed the epicness of the fight scenes.

This series should have one last book since the ending felt too abrupt. If it did, then maybe the End of Days wouldn't feel jammed with Raffe and Penryn's romance.

There were still a lot of unfinished businesses and unanswered questions in End of Days. How will humanity try to recover from the devastation left by the angels? Did that lazy ass Archangel Michael finally made an appearance? What about the Watchers? What will finally happen to Penryn? She led the resistance against the angels, is she going to become the ruler or president or something of the sort for the humans?

I have a feeling that there would be a companion series after this book. Fingers crossed!

Review | Giveaway | Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh

2015-05-23T20:09:00.000+08:00

Dive into a world torn apart by a powerful race with phenomenal powers of the mind—and none of the heart…

In a world that denies emotions, where the ruling Psy punish any sign of desire, Sascha Duncan must conceal the feelings that brand her as flawed. To reveal them would be to sentence herself to the horror of “rehabilitation”— the complete psychic erasure of everything she ever was….

Both human and animal, Lucas Hunter is a Changeling hungry for the very sensations the Psy disdain. After centuries of uneasy co-existence, these two races are now on the verge of war over the brutal murders of several Changeling women. Lucas is determined to find the Psy killer who butchered his packmate, and Sascha is his ticket into their closely guarded society. But he soon discovers that this ice-cold Psy is very capable of passion—and that the animal in him is fascinated by her. Caught between their conflicting worlds, Lucas and Sascha must remain bound to their identities—or sacrifice everything for a taste of darkest temptation…

See Slave to Sensation (Psy-Changeling #1) in:

Amazon || Nook || Kobo || Goodreads

The Psy-Changeling series is one of the series that I will not mind re-reading anytime and anywhere even if the series currently has thirteen books. It's one of the few books that manages to pull me out of a reading slump.

Before I get started, the copy that I used for this review was given to me via Netgalley. I already had one but when I saw this on NG, I clicked Request before I realized what was happening. So here I go.

To say that the world-building in this book was marvelous could be an understatement, Nalini Singh managed to create a world where it was so easy to believe that it could exist. Slave to Sensation was narrated in a way that absorbing information about this world was effortless which I found good because even if I read a lot of paranormal romance books, the introduction of a world was always the most complex part in a story for me. Although, there were times when you had to pay close attention or else you'd miss critical details when it came to how the PsyNet and a Psy's mind operated.

I loved how each characters were created. You'd find yourself being attached to the secondary characters, more so with the main. Sascha gradually unraveled her personality as she embraced her emotions instead of purging them. With Lucas, it was hard for him to admit that he was falling for a woman who happened to be with the enemy but the panther in him recognized his mate and he was determined not to let her go.

This book was just the beginning of a long and complicated journey which was the only reason why I didn't give this five stars.

Slave to Sensation is a brilliant concoction of romance, suspense and action that set my standards when it comes to Paranormal Romance. This is a must-read!

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Review | Giveaway | Capture by Penny Reid

2015-05-22T09:22:00.000+08:00

Maybe love, at its essence, is being a mirror for another person—for the good parts and the bad. Perhaps love is simply finding that one person who sees you clearly, cares for you deeply, challenges you and supports you, and subsequently helps you see and be your true self.

One week.

Manhattan apartment.

Super-hot ex-boyfriend.

…What’s the worst that could happen?

It’s been nine months since Kaitlyn Parker has seen or heard from Martin Sandeke—nine months and five stages of matter. She’s lived through the worst of first-love heartbreak, and is most certainly stronger (and less likely to hide in science cabinets) than ever before.

But now Martin is back. And he wants to be friends. But he’s sending mixed signals to the Bunsen burner in Kaitlyn’s pants.

Will Martin re-capture Kaitlyn’s heart? Can Kaitlyn and Martin ever be just friends? Or, despite an abundance of chemistry, are some bonds just too unstable to endure?

Elements of Chemistry: CAPTURE is the third part in a three part series; it is 70k words. Part 1 (ATTRACTION) will be released April 9, 2015. Part 2 (HEAT) will be released April 30, 2015. Part 3 (CAPTURE) will be released May 16, 2015.

Purchase Capture (Elements of Chemistry #3) by Penny Reid in:

Amazon • Nook • Kobo • iBooks

Purchase Heat (Elements of Chemistry #2) in:

Amazon • Nook • Kobo • iBooks

Purchase Attraction (Elements of Chemistry #1) in:

Amazon • Kobo • iBooks

Add to Capture:

Goodreads

Read my reviews:

Attraction • Heat

ARC received from author in exchange of an honest review but it didn't affect my opinion about this book.

This is my Book of the Month this May! Check out upper right part of my blog and check it out. *wink*

I knew a lot of people went crazy with how the second part ended and no sneak-peak was given at all since I was one of them. Actually, when Penny Reid warned the readers about it, I purposely held off reading the second part until the third part was out. Fortunately, I was given an ARC.

It took me some time to finally get on writing a review because the book hangover I got from this book hit me so hard I couldn't read anything for days. Yeah, I accepted that I wouldn't be able to finish my reading challenge this month. *sniff, sniff* Even now, I still couldn't accept the fact that the time when we got to see what was happening in their lives was over. No. I wanted to see them get married. I wanted to see Martin propose. I wanted to see Kaitlyn get preggers and most of all, I wanted to see Martin as a dad. Thinking about it just made me cry.

If you read the previous part, you'd know that our lovely couple broke up because of family circumstances. Kaitlyn tried to move on but it was hard. On the bright side, she finally pursued her passion. Months after their break up, Martin entered Kaitlyn's life again and they attempted to be friends again.

It was times like this that I wished Penny Reid wrote this with dual POVs. It was not like it wasn't enough for me to know what Kaitlyn's thoughts were, I just wanted to know what was on Martin's mind the whole time.

Though we didn't get to see what Martin's thoughts, Penny Reid managed to create a very tangible character in Kaitlyn. You could feel her emotions grip you. Her heartbreak, her attempt in moving on, her hopes of getting back together with Martin, her happiness when all was finally well. I found myself smiling when they finally got their happy ending.

A part of me wants to say that it was a great way to end a very wonderful story but a bigger part of me is still reluctant to acknowledge that it has ended. I didn't want to say goodbye to Kaitlyn and Martin yet. Elements of Chemistry was hard to put down (so I eventually stopped trying after the first part) and it elicited a lot of emotions from me.

Dive in to Kaitlyn and Martin's story and get ready for an emotional roller coaster ride.

Capture by Penny Reid Hypothesis #3 Publication Date: May 16, 2015 Genres: Contemporary, Humor, New Adult, Romance

About Penny Reid

SEX! It all started with sex, between my parents. Personally I don’t like thinking about it, but whatever works for you is a-ok with me. No judgment. The sex happened in California and much of my life also occurred in that state until I moved from the land of nuts (almonds), wine, silicon… boobs, and heavy traffic to the southeast US. Like most writers I like to write, but let’s get back to sex. Eventually I married and gave birth to 2 small people-children (boy-6, girl-4 as of this writing). By day I’m a biomedical researcher with focus on rare diseases. By night I’m a knitter, sewer, lino block carver, fabric printer, soap maker, and general crafter. By the wee hours of the morning or when I’m intoxicated I love to listen to the voices in my head and let them tell me stories. I hope you enjoy their stories.

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That's What He Said Thursday | May 21, 2015

2015-05-21T12:30:00.000+08:00

That's What He Said Thursday is a weekly meme hosted by Chapter Break where you post a your favorite swoon-worthy line your favorite hero said to his heroine.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

“The thought of you not being in my life tears me up. I… You are the happiness I never realized I needed.”

— The Friend Zone by Kristen Callihan

If there's one thing that turns me on more than a very great body, it's a very intelligent mind. I love the hero in this book more than the first one. Though I'm kind of sad about how his family treats him, I'm glad his girl is very kind and understanding. He deserves that in life.

Review | The Mistake by Elle Kennedy

2015-05-19T19:00:00.000+08:00

Her: If there’s a pic of your dick on that collage, I’m photocopying it and passing it around in the student center.
Me: Bad idea. You’ll give all the other dudes an inferiority complex.
Her: Or an ego boost.

He’s a player in more ways than one…

College junior John Logan can get any girl he wants. For this hockey star, life is a parade of parties and hook-ups, but behind his killer grins and easygoing charm, he hides growing despair about the dead-end road he’ll be forced to walk after graduation. A sexy encounter with freshman Grace Ivers is just the distraction he needs, but when a thoughtless mistake pushes her away, Logan plans to spend his final year proving to her that he’s worth a second chance.

Now he’s going to need to up his game…

After a less than stellar freshman year, Grace is back at Briar University, older, wiser, and so over the arrogant hockey player she nearly handed her V-card to. She’s not a charity case, and she’s not the quiet butterfly she was when they first hooked up. If Logan expects her to roll over and beg like all his other puck bunnies, he can think again. He wants her back? He’ll have to work for it. This time around, she’ll be the one in the driver’s seat…and she plans on driving him wild.

Summary from Goodreads

See The Mistake (Off-Campus #2) in:

Goodreads || Amazon

I've been disappointed with the few books that I've been looking forward to be released for months so I was worried if I'll react the same with The Mistake. The Deal already set the bar so high for this series so I wondered how Elle Kennedy will be able to create a book better than the first one (which I still have to review lol) or anything just as good.

This woman never fails to impress. No, seriously.

If you read The Deal—if you haven't, then what are you still doing here? Go to read it!—then you'll know that Logan had a thing for Hannah, Garrett's girlfriend. He tries to move on, met Grace and wants to use her to move on from his feelings with Hannah at first but later on starts liking Grace. Grace finds out Garrett's initial intentions and got angry. Not only does he refuse to sleep with her because she is a virgin but he only uses her to move on. Logan, with the help of Hannah, realizes that he doesn't want Hannah but rather what she and Garrett has. Realizing he fucked up, Logan does his best to win back Grace but she doesn't have any intention in making things easy for him.

I suck at summaries, that much has been established. But whatevs.

I really loved how Grace made Logan work so hard for a second chance. Had it been another heroine, a few apologetic words and heart-to-heart talk would suffice to them. But Grace? Oh, no. She made Logan do six romantic gestures which included writing a poem, a celebrity endorsement, and a boudoir shot of him on a red velvet chaise lounge. I also appreciated Logan's determination. You'd think that he'd balk at the prospect of the gestures but he did his best in proving to Grace that he really wanted a second chance with her. Even if what he did to her was a very asshole thing to do, he redeemed himself with his sincerity on wanting to have a second chance on her.

Logan and Grace were just funny and adorable together that when they were together, I found myself smiling so fondly and giggling like a schoolgirl at them. Their chemistry was, like Garrett and Logan, scorching.

Yet somehow Logan and Grace were similar to Garrett and Hannah in terms of personality. That was the one thing that I didn't really like.

I'm curious on how Elle would take on Dean the savior since it'll be his turn on the next book. I'm just hoping he wouldn't end being similar to Logan and Garrett. (Though I'm pretty sure he won't be. He's such a manwhore.)

Hiding Under The Sheets

Blog Tour | Giveaway | Frisk Me by Lauren Layne

FRISK ME

New York's Finest #1

Lauren Layne

Releasing July 28th,2015

Forever Romance

Review

BUY NOW

Amazon | B & N | iTunes | Kobo

Release Day Blitz | Ruin & Rule by Pepper Winters

Blurb

RUIN & RULE

Meet Killian in Pepper Winters’ new MC Romance!

NOW AVAILABLE

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1LQMIzbAmazon US: http://amzn.to/1f574HKiBooks: http://apple.co/1RdQhDdNook:http://bit.ly/1G1y53TKobo: http://bit.ly/1G1y53TGoogle Play:http://bit.ly/1LQNjRE

Prologue

Chapter One

About The Author:

STALK Pepper: Website | Pinterest | Facebook | Twitter | Blog | Goodreads

Feature and Follow Friday | June 19, 2015

If you were to get a tattoo, what would it say or what would the graphic be? Or if you have a tattoo, share a picture and its meaning.

- Suggested by Second Run Reviews

Release Day Blitz | Giveaway | Scorched by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Blurb

Excerpt

FRIGID

About Jennifer L. Armentrout

What Makes You Pick Up A Book?

The Cover and Title

The Blurb

The Reviews

How about you? What makes you pick up a book?

Top Ten Books On My 2015 Back-To-School TBR List

Release Day Blitz | The Offer by Karina Halle

EXCERPT

Feature And Follow Friday | June 12, 2015

If you can step into one characters shoes (in a book) and be them for a day who would it be and why? Also if you want to be creative what scene?

- Suggested by Seeing Night Book Reviews

Review | Black Rainbow by J.J. McAvoy

See J.J. McAvoy's Black Rainbow in:

Teaser Tuesdays | June 9, 2015

MY TEASER: @ 32%

Reasons Why Audiobooks and I Don't Get Along

Ain't nobody got time for that.

My attention span is limited.

I wanted to talk to the narrator.

Speaking of narrator, his/her voice should be pleasant to my ears.

Japan set the standards way too high.

How about you? Do you listen to audiobooks? What is it that you like most about them?

Feature and Follow Friday | June 5, 2015

How would you pitch to the biz to make your favorite book into a movie?

- Suggested by Girl of 1000 Wonders

Release Day Blitz | Giveaway | Sweet Ache by K. Bromberg

About Sweet Ache

Purchase Sweet Ache by K. Bromberg in:

EXCERPT #1

About the Author

Feature and Follow Friday | May 29, 2015

How many books have you got on your TBR list?

- Suggested by Obsessive Compulsive Reader

Review | Marked by Kaylea Cross

See Marked (Hostage Rescue Team #1) in:

That's What He Said Thursday | May 28, 2015

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

Release Day Blitz | Giveaway | Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry

About NOWHERE BUT HERE:

Purchase Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry in:

Excerpt:

NOWHERE BUT HERE Trailer:

About Katie McGarry:

Release Day Blitz | Giveaway | 21 Stolen Kisses by Lauren Blakely

ABOUT 21 STOLEN KISSES:

Purchase 21 Stolen Kisses in:

Excerpt

ABOUT LAUREN BLAKELY

Teaser Tuesdays | May 26, 2015

MY TEASER:

Review | 21 Stolen Kisses by Lauren Blakely

Review | End of Days by Susan Ee

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1LQMIzb
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1f574HK
iBooks: http://apple.co/1RdQhDd
Nook:http://bit.ly/1G1y53T
Kobo: http://bit.ly/1G1y53T
Google Play:http://bit.ly/1LQNjRE